Boggart of Erised
by GeekMom13
Summary: Sometimes you can want and fear the same person.
1. The boggart

**I own nothing, including this prompt idea.**

* * *

Hermione was sitting in from of the rattling writing desk in the drawing room of Grimmauld. She knew if she opened the roll top, black smoke would come billowing out and spinning about... and she knew what form it would take. Him. Always _him_. She would stare into his gray eyes as he systematically cut her down word by word. She remembers the things it said to her last time she gave in to weakness and opened the desk. All for a glimpse of _him_. Because in this war, there was no other way to see him. He was gone, and she was alone. People rarely even visited here anymore. Harry and Ron had insisted she stay behind, _stay safe and plan for us._ She laughed again. It wasn't safety. It was a prison cell... a dingy, dark, musty old prison cell.

 _"How could you possibly believe I would love you? I thought you were intelligent. An heir like me... and you, nothing more than a poor little girl who knew nothing of magic for most of her life. Tragic really. You think I really stopped thinking you were a mudblood little girl? A rich popular bachelor is supposed to love the little bookworm just because she saved my life? no, it was pity and nothing more."_

There was more, there was always more. She reached out to the wall and touched his name on the tapestry. Still Black as night, _alive_. Sometimes that was all it would take to calm her. But not today. Today she needed to see his face. Even if it was spouting off pureblood supremacy. But to hear his voice, to see his face and to know he was alive... That was what she needs today. So she reached out and flicked her wand whispering alohomora.

The black smoke billowed out and slowly took shape. It was almost a game the boggart played with her. As if it knew that it wasn't just him turning on her that she feared. No, it was losing him at all. So she watched as his form shaped up... rising slowly from his perfect shoes, wrapping around his legs in the finest slacks, always black. Then his chest and arms, crossed, tapping his wand as the smoke swirled around his neck and up his face. A smile at first, always a smile... that perfect beautiful smile. She should shout it now. **Riddikulus.** But she won't - she never does.

The boggart was in full force by the time Sirius walked in. Luckily he was the one to find her the first time she had done this. He steps next to her and wraps an arm around her, same as he does every time. When she finally curls into his side the boggart flashes to Sirius and he banishes it before it starts talking as she cries in his arms. He made sure that they were the only two able to access the room after the first time she was standing with his cousin Draco. No one else needed to know what she begged him to forget. Same as always, he poured her a firewhiskey and said nothing, _it wouldn't help anyway._ She never talked after he would find her. They would just sit in silence. He tried asking once if they were together. Her breakdown that day made him never ask again- it wasn't worth causing her pain. Today that changed. She shot back the rest of her glass, and turned to him and held it out "Did I ever tell you why?"

"No kitten, you never did" and he filled her tumbler back up.

"hm. one day I will. Maybe today. Maybe in a few drinks."

"No rush kitten. some secrets are best told only at the devil's hour. I'll be here"

From there they sat in silence and drank together. Molly would have a fit, so would most of the order. But this was their ritual, it was nothing short of sacred to them, a ritual cleansing of pain. It was a ceremony he began when he first got blown from the family tree and as the years passed, more and more voices added to his pain. Now, he would hear the echoes of his own voice in the boggart, _you made the family proud- a true Black through and through._ He would feel the dementors and watch the light fade from the Potter's eyes. His own demons. But he knew the girl across from him had demons too, so he welcomed her into his space.

The clock in the hall let out an eerie three notes. She laughed. "I guess it's time now. devil shall have his bargain and all that"

"give the devil his due"

"you know Shakespeare? I guess that's not so surprising. No time like now I guess. Do you remember the diadem? when we went to find it?"

Sirius hummed and reached over and filled her tumbler one final time. It was obvious she'd need it, that day wasn't pleasant.

She took a long drink and looked at Sirius, and told him about how her boggart obsession started- when Harry sent her to Hogwarts for the diadem. Sirius had helped smuggle her in, map and cloak aiding their journey to the room of hidden things. They climbed and searched and laughed together. There were wardrobes from years past, clothing left behind that Sirius took great joy in putting on and continuing to search. She would look over from her pile and there was Sirius, twirling about in a dress from some girl's Yule ball- turns out pink really brought out the best of his features. She laughed so hard that she slipped and slid down her current mountain of forgotten treasures. When she landed, there was a mirror in front of her showing her a future she never told anyone she wanted. _Reflecting back at her was her family, at least the one she had wanted. Standing behind her, arms wrapped around her stomach was her object of infatuation from the time she caught him crying. Draco Malfoy, holding her around her swollen stomach... a toddler at her side, a perfect mini Draco._ And so it began- her need to know he was alright. Her obsession with a future that will never happen.

Throughout her tale, Sirius stayed silent. Who was he to judge demons and love?

* * *

They never talked about that night again. They never really did talk about any of their nights drinking firewhiskey. Something in that night had helped her though. She started to come in for her firewhiskey observances. He always set out her glass, just in case. And that's how they passed the devil's hours of the war. Drinking firewhiskey in silence and pretending it didn't happen the next day. She would research and make plans for the Order then heal those who found their way to headquarters. He would venture out and act out her well-laid battle plans, sometimes talking Kings into bringing her with.

Then the call came. All wands to Hogwarts. The battle was long and hard won. She doesn't remember most of it by the time the adrenaline wears off, but that's probably for the best. There are bodies everywhere, both sides lost so many. Too many.

She just keeps moving all night. The castle is full of celebrations, but she stays out to help the wounded and arrange the dead. The moon is high in the sky when a hand taps her shoulder.

"Devil's hour kitten, why break tradition?"

And that's how he found them- sipping firewhiskey next to the Black Lake, covered in blood and dirt.

"Granger?"

She looked at Sirius, eyes wide. That's how it always started. "I... I can't Sirius. not today. please, not today. I can't."

He leaned in and whispered "Kitten, it's him. No mirror, no boggart."

Tears were rolling down her cheeks as she looked over his shoulder, waiting for the boggart to talk, to cut into her. "Granger. It is you. No one knew where you were. I was... they were worried."

"You're here."

"yes, that's obvious."

She started laughing, stood up and walked around him before finally poking his nose. "You're real."

He just looked over at Sirius, wondering how much she already had to drink if she was poking his nose. Sirius shook his head and walked away, leaving the firewhiskey. Draco focused back on her and replied "yes I'm real. why wouldn't I be?"

She pushed her glass into his hand and sat down by the firewhiskey again, grabbing Sirius' old glass and downing it in one gulp. "you know, I've been told that some secrets are best told only in devil's hour. Care to hear a secret about my boggart of Erised Malfoy?"


	2. Telling Draco

**I own nothing you recognize.**

* * *

Draco sat next to Hermione on the rock, sipping the firewhiskey.

"Boggart of Erised?"

"Yup. That's what I call it."

"Exactly how drunk are you Granger?"

"About halfway as drunk as I need to be for this conversation."

"That good?"

"That twisted." She said then poured herself some more whiskey. "Sirius looks good in pink."

Malfoy looked at his glass, pursed his lips and furrowed his brows. "I think _I'm_ not as drunk as I need to be for this story." Then he downed his glass and held it out for her to refill.

She turned on the rock to look at the lake, debris floating all over the surface from the battle. The giant squid was doing its best to throw out the pieces that it could, but more just kept coming in as it splashed about. She took her wand and started to levitate things out. She started to giggle.

"Care to share what's so funny?"

"Wing-GAR-dium Levi-O-sa" she got out before giggling again. _Maybe she was drunk enough for this._

"Granger, we learned that first year." She started outright laughing when he said that. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Draco. Just fine. That spell... it started everything out. If it wasn't for that, I doubt I would have made friends with Harry and Ron"

Draco looked puzzled.

"I corrected Ron and he got upset and therefore got rude... so I ended up being attacked by a troll-"

"Wait, how does _Ron being rude_ turn into you getting _attacked by a troll_?"

She flicked another rock out of the lake. "That's not important. The main thing is the boys saved me. Using that spell of all things." She started laughing again and kept levitating rocks.

He turned around on the rock and joined her in clearing the debris.

"So, do you know what a horcrux is?"

"No, not really."

"Well, a wizard can split their soul and put a piece of it in an object to keep themselves from dying."

"And Voldemort did that?"

"He had seven."

"That explains the insanity."

She snorted and took another sip after adding a rock to her growing pile. "Well, we found them and destroyed them. There was one in the school."

"Okay." He was half watching her, half paying attention to the garbage he was adding to his own pile.

"Well, Sirius and I snuck into the school about six months ago-"

"Really? How did you do that under Snape's nose?"

"He, uh, _knew_ we were coming. Plus, Marauder."

"What?"

"Which part?"

"Both, Granger, both."

"Sirius and his friends were troublemakers in school. They knew all the secret passages. Makes sneaking around easy. That's the Marauder bit."

He furrowed his brow and decided to ask later. "And Snape?"

"Spy for the Order."

"Ah."

"So, we were in the room of lost things, trying to find the diadem... Sirius was being himself. Joking around a lot. At one point he found an old wardrobe with the _frilliest_ pink dress I have _ever_ laid eyes on."

"I'm starting to see how him wearing pink factors into this."

"Yeah. I was laughing so hard I ended up sliding from the top of my pile. At the bottom, I pulled myself back up using a mirror. But the reflection. It... it was impossible."

"What do you mean?"

"It showed me _very_ pregnant with an adorable little boy by my side- there was absolutely no questioning his father. Spitting image. Not a drop of me in him."

Draco dropped the rock he was levitating back into the water.

"Really? What did he look like?"

"The most adorable pouty lips, tiny little dress robes. Bloody perfect hair that his entire family has had as far back as anyone knows. Pale eyes. Beautiful sharp features."

"Okay."

"I knew I could never have that."

"Why not?"

"I'm not what he wants or needs."

"And what is that?"

"An heir. Carry on the family name and all that."

"Ah."

She sat in silence for a while, sure he was going to figure it out. Who else had signature family hair _and_ pale eyes?

Draco looked down. She was in love with his cousin, he had suspected when he walked out, but this was proof. He took a breath and then continued: "So what about the boggart part?"

"Oh... well, in the place I was staying, there was a desk that a boggart was stuck in. It was in the room with the family tree. I... I had to check the name. It was the only way... If it was still black, alive. If not, it would fade away." Even though she _knew_ he knew who it was, she couldn't bring herself to say the name her fingers traced so many times. _Draco Abraxas Malfoy_ right below _Narcissa Casseopia Malfoy nee. Black_

"So, old family then?"

She wiped a few tears then nodded. "Sacred 28 style old"

"You know, unless you tell him, he'll never know."

"I can't."

"It's still devils hour. you can find him."

She gave him a weird look. Maybe he didn't get it yet. He probably just didn't think he was in her league, so it couldn't be him. "Soon, the name wasn't enough. And the boggart called to me. I knew it would be that face from the mirror. I opened the dresser and there he was, those grey eyes so cold looking at me. Like when we first met."

He kept moving rocks, occasionally humming as she described it.

"The boggart would always start the same way- _Granger?_ It would ask. it would wait for eye contact. Then..."

She looked at her glass, she could back out now. If she went on, there would be no doubt.

"Then what?"

"It would get so bad. Sirius found me that first time. My hand on the family tree, listening to the boggart telling me how _stupid_ I am. _Why would the heir to a noble house ever want a mudblood with bushy hair and buck teeth?_ _Money can buy anything, including a better bride._ "

Draco abandoned the cleanup and wrapped his arms around her.

"He banished the boggart back into the cabinet and gave me a drink. I can't even count the number of times we sat in the library drinking half the night away. He never mentioned it."

Draco snorted "I can't exactly blame him. Who wants to be confronted with themselves in boggart form?"

"How did you know?"

"Really? Grey eyes, same hair as his father, needs to carry on the family name? Sacred 28, not to mention the family tree."

"You're wrong."

"What? You just asked how I knew he saw himself in boggart form..."

"Yeah." she took a deep breath. "Sirius' boggart is himself."

"But then, who is yours?"

She shook his arm off her and stood up, rubbing her arms even though she wasn't cold. Pointing her wand at the lake, she concentrated on the largest pee she could find, levitating it as carefully as she could. when it hit the ground, she turned back to Draco.

He was so sure it was Sirius. Theo and Blaise both had dark eyes. Crabbe and Goyle were too dumb to catch her attention. Flint's family was all over the place with their hair. Maybe it was Rowle, his family all looked basically the same, but Draco couldn't remember ever looking in the pyromaniac's eyes. The Weasley's definitely were not rich or needing an heir... maybe it was one of the lesser known 28...

She cleared her throat and downed another glass. _At least this way I'll only have a blurry memory of my shattered heart._ " I visited that room weekly. Just to see his face. I didn't care that the face wasn't real. I got over hearing _you'll never be more than a distant memory, a life debt I'm stuck with."_

"Life debt?"

She looked him in the eye.

"Sirius is my cousin."

"First cousin once removed if you want to get technical." she whispered out, her voice only staying steady because of the large quantity of alcohol.

"If his name was on that tapestry... So was mine."

She turned away. She couldn't bear to watch her real Draco turn into boggart Malfoy.

"I owe you a life debt." She nodded

"I'm the heir to a sacred twenty-eight family." She nodded again, wiping away the tears.

"I call you Granger." She hugged herself tighter.

"Look at me."

She shook her head. No way would she let her heart crumble as the icy smirk appeared on his face.

"Hermione, please."

He had gotten closer. Too close.

"I can't."

He let out a little laugh and stepped in front of her. "Some Gryffindor, huh?"

He quickly realized _that_ was the wrong thing to say. She had collapsed on the ground, sobbing.


	3. Dating

**I own nothing you recognize.**

* * *

"Granger, what's wrong?"

He knelt on the ground and hugged her. "Granger, Hermione... I was just joking. It's okay. You don't have to look at me. Just listen."

She nodded.

"I. um. I really suck at this. Do you want me to go get Sirius?"

She nodded.

* * *

"BLACK!"

"What's up? Where is she?" Sirius asked, trying to see her.

"She's still by the lake. I made a joke and she broke down and I can't make it better."

He grabbed the front of Draco's shirt and yanked him closer "What. Did. You. Say. To. Her?"

"I can't remember exactly. Just a joke about Gryffindor."

He shoved Draco back and took off towards the lake. "Of all the moronic things-"

Draco grabbed his shoulder "Please, what went wrong?"

"You're her fucking boggart you prat! In what world did it seem like a good idea to tease her?"

Draco's eyes went wide.

"Yeah. I watched her crumble every fucking week to your voice, telling her she would never be good enough to be with you, you and your precious fucking blood. Telling her that she was too dirty to ever mean anything to you. Not enough money, not pretty enough, not pure enough. Sneering down at her as she cried. Now because you are a fucking idiot I have to do it _again_."

"I didn't think. I'm sorry."

"That much is obvious. Just... stay the fuck away for a little bit, give me time to calm her down."

"I can do that."

"Come get us for breakfast."

Draco watched Sirius stalk off, in all the years he was growing up, he had heard about the Black temper. His Aunt was too unhinged to really differentiate between _Black temper_ and _Azkaban deterioration_. His mother had always intimidated people, but he never got to see her in full force. After witnessing a protective Sirius, he was _quite_ glad he never saw that in his mother. He glanced back at the horizon, the sun would be rising soon. He could wait an hour.

* * *

"Kitten?"

She didn't respond. He walked over and leaned against the rock, dragging her onto his lap, still crying. "Hey now kitten, calm down... It's just me. Just like the old days."

She looked around then wrapped her arms around his waist.

"You know, he's an idiot. But he didn't mean it."

"I know."

"Why don't you get some sleep? I'll keep guard."

"My own personal attack dog, huh Snuffles?"

"I see how it is, kitten. You like Snuffles more than me..."

She let out a little giggle. "Well, he is much more likable."

He moved her off his lap and transformed, jumping around and barking. He circled her and nuzzled her hand until she started to pet him.

"I'm not sure if you are more of an attention grabber as Snuffles or as Sirius."

He let out a huff of air and laid his head on her lap.

* * *

The first thing Draco noticed as he walked up to the now sleeping Hermione was a missing Sirius. He started grumbling about Sirius leaving her alone, he noticed the second thing, the one that _probably_ should have caught his attention first.

The Grim. The _now growling_ Grim.

Bloody fucking hell. Granger was _cuddling_ a growling Grim.

"Um, Granger, wake up..." He said quietly reaching out to touch her.

Without disturbing Hermione, Sirius snapped at the extended hand.

"Hermione, please wake up," He said a little louder this time. She let out a groan.

"Hermione!" He said a little more forcefully.

This time, she jumped up, drew her wand and scanned the area. He noticed she didn't startle seeing the Grim.

"Oh, it's just you."

"Yeah, why don't you come over here, behind me."

She furrowed her brows as Draco slowly moved to get between her and Sirius.

"We are going to slowly go back to the castle..."

Sirius started to bark and growl at Draco.

"Draco it's just-"

"Hermione, _that_ is a Grim. I don't know how you ended up cuddling it, but it's _dangerous_."

Sirius started to bare his teeth, thoroughly enjoying freaking his little cousin out. It was one of his favorite parts of being an animagus with this form.

Hermione stepped out from behind Draco, laughing. "Snuffles, cut it out."

Sirius huffed at her then hopped on to the rock.

"Snuffles? You called a bloody Grim Snuffles?"

She laughed, "Okay Snuffles, you've had your fun. It's time to eat."

He howled and then jumped directly at Draco who definitely did _not_ scream very loudly in a pitch that most sopranos would be envious of. Mid-way through the air he transformed back to Sirius. "Morning cousin."

"You. and. but." he turned to Hermione "You knew and you didn't say!"

She smirked, "Payback."

Sirius wrapped his arm around her shoulder and kissed her temple. "I'm going to head back in and see what help they need. Plus someone has to make sure Molly isn't the one to find Harry and Ginny."

Once he was far enough away to not hear, Draco started to talk. "Okay, so I spent the past hour coming up with this and I just need you to listen."

She nodded and looked at the ground.

"When I came out last night and saw you two drinking together, I thought you were together. Then you were describing who you saw in the mirror, I was positive it was my cousin-"

She let out a snort.

"I... I couldn't believe _I_ would be the one. I mean, you _lived_ with the mysterious most eligible wizard. I like you. And I can't promise a tiny little mini-me or anything yet... but can we try?"

She was just staring at him. He looked down, waiting for her rejection. After a minute, he glanced a look back at her. She was staring him with a completely unreadable expression.

"I understand if you don't want to, I get-"

He was cut off when she slammed into him, saying "of course I want to."

He wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her head, taking in a deep breath. Something he immediately regretted. She smelled like wet dog, blood, and firewhiskey.

* * *

It took them almost a month and a half to finally go on a date. They had spent most of their days cleaning up, attending funerals and weddings, and helping to repair the wizarding world. He had taken her to Australia to find her parents, but the local ministry couldn't restore their memories.

He showed up on the steps of Grimmauld Place in a muggle suit with flowers. His mother had insisted that flowers were a better idea than the ridiculously large bracelet he wanted to give her. It took him a few minutes to work up the courage to knock on the door.

Sirius answered the door and brought him in by the floo.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to finally knock."

Draco looked at his cousin shocked.

"Wards. You might be family but it still let me know when you reached the bottom step."

"Ah."

"Nervous?"

"Very."

Sirius laughed, "Why?"

"I've liked her since she kept my secret. Then she went and saved my life."

"I know I'm your cousin... but I need to remind you that I'm all she has left in the way of a father."

He nodded, "I know."

"And I'm very protective of her."

"I've noticed."

"And I'm _very_ creative."

Draco gulped.

"Sirius, stop scaring him," Hermione called from the top of the stairs.

"But kitten, it's the only fun I get to have any more!"

She laughed and they moved to meet her at the bottom of the stairs. Draco was speechless looking at her.

"Kitten, you look so amazing you got your prat of a boyfriend to shut up for once."

"Be nice Snuffles."

* * *

Hermione initially wanted them to stay in the muggle world for everything. After about a month, when he went to pick her up he was wearing robes.

"Draco, you can't wear that!"

"I can, we're going to the new restaurant in Diagon."

"No!"

"Are you ashamed of me?"

"What?"

"You have been avoiding being seen in the wizarding world with me since we started dating. I know I was a marked death eater, but I was proven innocent! YOU KNEW THIS GOING IN!"

"No, I am not ashamed of you."

"Then prove it. Come to Diagon and hold my hand in public."

She looked down. "I can't Draco. They'll put us on the front page."

"You're on the front page all the time with Potter and Weasley."

"That's different."

"Why am I not good enough?"

"It's not that at all."

" **Then tell me.** "

"Don't you remember the Yule Ball? The articles after? I can't go through that again."

He started laughing.

"I will _not_ allow you to laugh at me, Draco Malfoy."

He shook his head, still laughing before shouting out "Hey Sirius, come in here."

"What do you need?" Then he noticed the very upset Hermione standing next to him. "Kitten? What's wrong?"

"He's laughing at my not wanting to be featured as a tart, again, in the Prophet."

Draco stopped laughing "Want to go into business cousin?"

Sirius gave him a look.

"I'm thinking media empire"

At that Sirius barked out a laugh. "Oh Kitten, you're looking at the two richest wizards around. If you were worried about the papers, you should have told us. We can make sure Skeeter or anyone else who tries to slander you will not get hired here or on the continent."

She looked down again "I don't want you to waste your money."

"Love, I could buy every paper in the entire world and still have most of my vaults left, and Sirius isn't too terribly far behind me."

After that day, they ventured into the wizarding world fairly often. Rita did try to write a piece about her _love triangle_ with the two popular wizards. She couldn't even find work in the muggle tabloids in America by the time Sirius was done playing overprotective Dad.


	4. Proposal and wedding

**I own nothing you recognize.**

* * *

"Malfoy, stop fidgeting."

"Shut it, Potter."

"You asked me to be here. I can always leave."

"NO!" Draco looked over panicked. "I mean. I just. Fuck this is worse than our first date!"

"Relax mate. She'll say yes."

"You don't know that."

"I do. She isn't one to waste her time or anyone else's. Especially not two years of it."

Draco took in a deep breath. "So you're all ready?"

"Yes, Draco. Go drink a firewhiskey and wait in the greenhouse."

"Thanks, Harry. You don't know how much this means to me."

He snorted. "I'm doing this for her."

Draco smiled. He knew Harry was just trying to get him to relax. They had gotten close over the two years he had been dating Hermione. He had already asked him to be best man, provided Hermione didn't have him stand for her.

* * *

"Sirius, where are we going?"

"I told you it's a surprise kitten."

"I hate surprises."

"You say that, but you never _actually_ mean it. You just hate not knowing, but you love that we care enough to surprise you."

"Fine, apparate away."

Sirius wrapped his arm around her waist and took them to the Royal Botanical Gardens. Draco had rented the entire place for today. He had set up all the important people in her life along the half circle surrounding the greenhouse, holding different objects for her to represent their past, present, and future. Sirius' job was to keep her busy until the right time by forcing her to take a spa day with him, then walk her through to everyone, making sure they got good photos.

When they landed, they were greeted with a flash. Dennis Creevey then handed her a basket. "You'll need this today Hermione, you deserve this." She shot Sirius a look and Dennis took another photo.

The three walked around the garden and came to Ginny Potter. She presented Hermione with a red rose from the Malfoy gardens. "To remember your first date."

Next, they came to Molly, holding a small statue of a hippogryph. "To remember that you were always able to put him in his place."

Lavender presented her with a bottle of firewhiskey "To remember that you must always give the devil his due."

Ron was holding a small mirror "For a future you once saw, may it come true."

Arthur presented her with a mini version of the desk "To remember that we aren't always at our best, but we can get through it."

Narcissa was holding a necklace "To welcome you to the Malfoy family"

At this point, Sirius presented her with a bracelet "To welcome you, formally, to the Black family."

She was crying. "Thank you, both, so much."

"Kitten, you've been my daughter since the first time I scooped you off that drawing room floor. Maybe even from the time that we rode Buckbeak."

Narcissa cleared her throat "I believe your next guest is waiting."

Neville was waiting and handed her a newspaper clipping "To remember he'll do just about anything for you."

Harry was waiting at the corner to present her with a snitch "To remember that it's okay to sit back, relax and play every so often."

Harry took the basket and offered her his arm. She stood between the two men who made up her family and couldn't help but smile.

"Are you ready Kitten?"

"I think so."

"Then let's not keep him waiting any longer, Mione."

They walked down the straight path along the front of the greenhouse, Draco ahead with his back to them. Sirius sent a set of red sparks out when they were halfway there and Draco turned around. She could see his smile easily.

"Hello, love."

"Hello."

He looked down, nerves apparent on his face. Harry and Sirius let go of her arms and stood behind her while Draco got down on one knee.

"Hermione, I am here, before your family and friends to ask you to spend the rest of our days together. Will you honor me with your forever?"

He opened the box to a simple ring, at least by Malfoy standards. The center was one ruby, set to look like a rose among the emerald studded leave that wrapped around the ring. It was a beautiful rose gold, like the ring her mother had received at her engagement.

"Of course Draco. Of course."

The final picture was taken as he slipped the ring on and spun her around in a hug, with her chosen family standing behind her.

* * *

"Hermione, you will be a Malfoy soon, stop fidgeting"

"I can't Narcissa. What if he decides to not go through with it?"

"Then I'll take you in as a daughter and disown him for sheer stupidity. Now stop fussing with your dress. You must not wrinkle it."

She took a shaky breath. "I think I'm ready."

"Then let's go kitten."

Sirius was standing in the doorway, dressed in the finest robes money could buy. They had fought over who would pay for what the entire planning process. Narcissa insisted that as the mother in the equation, it was her job to join Molly on all the errands and Sirius insisted that with no one else to take care of, it was his job to honor his statement of welcoming her into the family. Hermione and Molly had just sat back, watching the two argue. Draco had finally suggested they just split everything down the middle.

They had invited the wizarding public to witness their marriage, in the garden where he proposed. The rented it overnight and got married at 3 AM. They had set the warding to repel any trespassing muggles and lit the entire area with fairy lights.

James Sirius Potter was being held by Harry as the "ring bearer" though really, his main job was to look adorable.

Ginny walked down the aisle as her lone attendant.

The whole group stood, awaiting the bride.

"Kitten, last chance to back out, the motorcycle has a full tank and we can fly anywhere."

She laughed, "No thanks Snuffles. I'll stick with Draco."

He kissed her temple and offered her his arm. They walked down the aisle behind Teddy, who was acting as a "flower dude." He was offered ring bearer first but said that flowers were cooler than rings because he got to throw them.

At the end of the aisle waiting for them was Draco, Ginny, Harry, and Kingsley.

Kings stepped forward and asked, "Who presents this witch to be bonded with this wizard?"

"I, Sirius Orion Black, her father in all but blood present her with the blessing of her entire family."

With one final kiss to her temple, Sirius placed her hand in Draco's and took his seat next to Narcissa.

"Now we will hold a moment of peace for those who cannot be here."

Draco squeezed her hand and offered her a smile, this was for her parents. Even though Lucius was gone, he wasn't exactly _missed_.

"Draco Abraxas Malfoy, do you take this witch to be yours in mind, body, spirit, and magic; bonded until death does part you?"

"On my magic, I do."

"Hermione Jean Granger, do you take this wizard to be yours in mind, body, spirit, and magic; bonded until death does part you?"

"On my magic, I do."

"Draco, do you swear to always protect and provide for the family you are making today?"

"On my magic, I swear to."

"Hermione, do you swear to always protect and provide for the family you are making today?"

"On my magic, I swear to."

"Draco, do you have any additional vows to speak?"

"Yes. I do swear that from this moment my old life is over and there is no more me, only us. What was once mine is now ours. I promise you my heart until it's final beat has passed. I swear to honor you with patience, faithfulness, love, and time."

"Hermione, do you have any additional vows to speak?"

"Yes. I take you as mine in sickness, in health, at our best, at our worst, in riches, and in poverty, for all our young years and all our old. You are mine and I am yours. I swear to honor you with my faithfulness in mind, body, and spirit, with patience and love, for all of my days."

Kingsley drew his wand and allowed a vine to form that circled them and twisted around their joined hands, as he spoke the spell that they had chosen "Aigne, comhlacht, spiorad, agus draíocht; Bannaí go dtí go ndéanann bás tú"

The vine sunk into their skin and they exchanged rings.

"Before all who have gathered, both in body and in spirit- I now bless this couple and present to you Mr. and Mrs. Draco Abraxas Malfoy."

They shared their first kiss as a married couple which resulted in a rather loud "ew" from one Edward Remus Lupin who was sitting on Sirius' lap.


	5. The end

**I own nothing you recognize.**

* * *

"Scorpius Regulus Malfoy, get out here right now!" Hermione yelled from the rose garden.

The eighteen-year old came out with his best _you know you love me too much to kill me_ look on his face.

"Care to explain why _all_ the roses have been taken from my garden? Nana Cissa and I worked very hard on those."

"Well, I um... _usedthemtoproposetoAlbus._ "

"Come again?"

He looked down. "I used them to propose to Albus."

"Scorpius, did you have to take them _all_?"

"Well, Grandpa Snuffs said..."

"And what have I told you about listening to him?"

"That it's usually going to get me in trouble because he doesn't think things through."

"Where am I supposed to host Artie's play group now?"

"Sorry, Mum."

"Well, tell me all about what Snuffles talked you into."

He got a huge smile on his face.

"I filled the entire apartment with the roses and poppies and tulips. I painted our first picture together as friends, the one from our first date, and the one you took at graduation."

"And what did Albus say?"

"um"

"Skip the parts with words that Snuffles taught you."

"Ah, well, that's most of it."

"That doesn't surprise me."

"Well, he told me we had better save it all for his potions, and I said duh."

"Of course, how dare he suggest you would waste all those ingredients," Hermione said with a little sarcasm.

"I know, right Mum? I mean come _on,_ I was proposing to him, _of course_ I know he's borderline obsessed with potions."

Hermione laughed, Scorpius _definitely_ had a bit of his father's dramatic streak.

"So, after I spent a while convincing him I wasn't a _complete_ idiot, I got down on one knee and told him that even though he was as annoying as a pygmy puff sometimes, I still love him and want to keep him forever."

"You managed to work calling him annoying into the proposal?"

"He said the _same thing_ , mum."

"I can't imagine why."

* * *

Hermione and Draco had been married six years when Scorpius came along. He was a spitting image of Draco as a toddler. When he was misbehaving and Narcissa was over, she would sometimes call him Draco Abraxas before catching herself.

One day, right before the first set of twins was born, Draco brought Scorpius in to see her before they headed to the park with Nana Cissa. The park ended up not happening because she looked into the mirror and saw the exact image that had started the whole thing. A little mini Draco hugging her leg with Draco reaching around and holding her swollen belly. She ended up delivering her twins that afternoon.

Sirius had accepted his role as Grandpa Snuffs with a great deal of honor. Scorpius had dubbed him that when Hermione was teasing Sirius one day and called him Snuffles. It stuck through all seven of the Malfoy kids and passed on to all the other kids in their extended family. Even the Weasley grandkids called him Uncle Snuffs.

He had wound up taking in Teddy and a bunch of other war orphans and had raised them all as "Blacks". Some opted to take the last name, some had hyphenated and then there were a couple like Teddy who just kept their parent's names. When he first brought it up he said he wasn't ever going to settle down and have kids of his own so why not redeem the Black family name by adopting the kids that "Toujours Pur" had left as orphans. He petitioned and had the family motto changed to "Familia primum", Family First. He said there was more rooms than he would use otherwise and enough money to split fifty ways and still last a couple generations. He spoiled all the kids as much as he could, insisting that no one that knew him would ever go through what he did.

Harry and Ginny ended up having the smallest family of the entire group, well at least of the ones who got married... James, Albus, and Lily were his only kids. Ginny didn't want a family as big as the one she grew up with and Harry was happy as long as Ginny was happy. He did his fair share of spoiling with all the kids as well. He and Draco took turns buying the kids brooms and teaching them to fly. Harry had paid to have practice pitches put on everyone's properties.

* * *

One day, all of the Great grandchildren were gathered for their annual Malfoy/Black/Potter/Weasley/Scamander reunion when Sirius made a joke about the boggart of erised.

"What's that Papop Snuffles?"

"Yeah, I know what a boggart is, but they didn't copy different _types_. How am I supposed to pass my NEWTS?" One of Hermione's great grandchildren asked.

"Oi, that one is _definitely_ related to you Mione."

"No doubt about is 100% our Hermione."

"Watch it, Potter, she's still mine!"

"Over fifty years and you lot still can't get along."

"But Papop Snuffs! What _is it_?"

"It's the reason you lot are all here. You remember how we told you about the war?"

"Of course we do."

"Well see, during the war, Nana Mione was living at Papop Sirius' house..."


End file.
